Packing dividers



March 14, 1961 D. D. SIMPSON 2,974,817

PACKING DIVIDERS Filed Aug. 1, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IDEIUW H A;

i mil: I INVENTOR.

DONALD D. SIMPSON ATTORNEY March 14, 1961 Filed Aug. 1, 1958 D. D.SIMPSON PACKING DIVIDERS 7 A H vj] U U U A fi -N B U U j] 5 2e 27 c 11 nW in C 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5.

FIG.7.

INVENTOR.

DONALD D. SIMPSON BY 24 U ATTORNEY D. D. SIMPSON PACKING DIVIDERS March14, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1958 INVENTOR. DONALD D. SIMPSONBY MwW ,ATTORNEY United States Patent PACKING DIVIDERS Donald D.Simpson, Des Peres, Mo., assignor to ACF Industries, Incorporated, NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 1, 1958, Ser. No.752,586

3 Claims. (Cl. 21731) This invention relates to packing and shippingcartons and consists of particularly in a novel, cell-type dividerconstruction.

Where it is desired to divide a large packing or shipping case or cartoninto a plurality of smaller spaces or cells for accommodating, forinstance, relatively small individual units, the carton or case isusually provided with a divider construction consisting of lateral andlongitudinal strips, usually of cardboard material or the like. Suchdivider constructions with which applicant is familiar have beensupplied by carton manufacturers in assembled form. Although suchdivider units may be furnished in a collapsed condition, theynevertheless, are quite bulky and a great deal of storage space isrequired so as to insure that an adequate supply of the dividers is onhand at all times. As far as applicant is aware, it has not beenpractical, heretofore, to supply the cell units in the form ofindividual pieces or strips which may be assembled by the packer priorto placing of the packed material in the carton or casing. This, inpart, is because the strips could not be readily and convenientlyassembled inside the carton by the workman.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide adivider construct-ion for packing cartons or cases which may befurnished to the warehouse or shipping room in the form of individual,flat strips which may be, themselves, stored conveniently and compactlyin a minimum of storage space.

It is another object to provide such a divider construction consistingof individual, elongated, fiat strips properly designed for easyassembly through the top of the open carton by the packer.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide such adivider construction in which the individual divider strips may beinserted one at a time through the top of the open packing case orcarton and interlocked with the preceding strips to form cells, withoutthe necessity of lifting or holding of the previously inserted strips toeffect proper interlocking thereof.

These and other objects are attained in the present invention whichconsists of three (3) slightly different types of divider strips, allhaving spaced, transverse slits extending along and opening through onelongitudinal edge thereof. One of the strip types has no slits on theopposite longitudinal edge. The second strip type has a single terminalslit on its opposite longitudinal edge and the third strip type has apair of terminal slits on its opposite longitudinal edge forinterlocking with previously-placed, marginal strips.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, Fig. l is atop, isometric view of a more or less conventional shipping cartonhaving a divider cell unit inserted therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the divider cell unit removed fiom thecanton.

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the strips used in assembling thedivider unit of Fig. 2.

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Fig. 4 represents conventional divider cell units, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, collapsed and stacked on edge in the usual manner for storage.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are side views of the three different types of dividerstrips used in my novel divider construction.

Fig. 8 shows two of the strips in the first assembly step.

Fig. 9 shows a third strip added to the first two strips, in the secondassembly step.

Fig. 10 shows a fourth strip added to the first three strips, in thethird assembly step.

Fig. 11 shows additional parallel, intermediate strips assembled withthe marginal strips of Fig. 10.

.Fig. 12 shows additional transverse, intermediate strips assembled tocomplete the novel packing cell unit.

Fig. 1 shows a more or less conventional packing carton having uprightside walls 14, 15, 16 and 17 and a bottom 18. The multiplicity ofidentical strips 19 (Fig. 4), assembled in a grid, as in Fig. 2, arethen dropped into the bottom of the casing, whereupon the material beingpacked is placed in the individual cells. When each layer is completed,a board is laid over the top and another grid unit placed thereupon.This procedure is continued until the carton is full.

Figs. 1 and 2 show clearly why it is that such strips cannot beconveniently assembled by the packer. For instance, assume two of thestrips, 19a and 1%, are preassembled and dropped into the carton to forma selfsupporting corner. It would then be necessary to lift marginalstrip 19a to permit insertion thereunder ofintermediate cross strips190. Of course, it would be impossible, without a special gig, for asingle workman to lay each of the parallel strips 19a, 19d, etc.edgeways on the bottom of the carton, with their slits opening upwardly,and then insert the cross strips 19b, 190, since there would be no wayto support the first strips. Thus, these conventional cell units aresupplied by carton manufacturers fully assembled, but collapsed, asshown in Fig. 4. These then are stored on edge with the result thatconsiderable open space is left in the storage pile, which occupies,necessarily, a very substantial part of the shipping department.

'In order to avoid the necessity of pre-assembling the divider strips, Iprovide three (3) slightly different strips types A, B, and C, as shownin Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The first type of strip A has transverse slits 2t)spaced along one longitudinal edge 21 thereof and extending part waytherethrough, that is, substantially, one-half way through the strip.The second type of strip, designated B, has similar transverse slits 22spaced along one longitudinal edge 23 thereof and also has a singletransverse slit 24 in a terminal portion of the strip and openingthrough the opposite edge 25 thereof. The third type of strip,designated C, has a set of transverse slits 26 opening through one edge27 thereof and a pair of terminal slits 2S and 29 opening through theopposite edge 30 of the strip.

Fig. 8 shows the first step in assembling the divider construction whichconsists in the interlocking of one upwardly-opening end slit 20 of anA-type strip 35 with the downwardly-opening, terminal slit 24 of aB-type strip 36. In the second assembly step, shown in Fig. 9, anotherB-type strip 37 has its downwardly-opening terminal slit 24 receivedover and interlocked with the end, upwardly opening slit 22 of secondmarginal strip 36, remote from first marginal strip 35.

The fourth assembly step consists in inserting a C-type strip 38 overthe generally U-shaped assembly of Fig. 9, with its downward, terminalslits 28 and 29 received over and interlocking with upward end slits 22of third marginal strip 37, remote from second marginal strip 36, andend slit of first marginal strip remote from second marginal strip 36.This completes the margin or periphery of the unit.

Now additional C-type strips 39 4t! and 41 are applied over therectangular assembly of Fig. 10, as in. Fig. 11, with their terminalslits 28 and 29 opening down wardly; and received over and interlockedwith corresponding upwardly-opening slits 20 and 22 of marginal strips35 and 37.

The final assembly step. consists in placing of additional A-type strips42, 43 and 44 over the assembly of Fig. 11, as in Fig. 12, with theirtransverse slits 20 opening downwardly and fitting over and interlockingwith the upwardly-opening slits 26 of intermediate pieces 39, and 41,and marginal strip 38 and with upwardlyopening slits 22 of marginalpiece 36. This completes the cell grid within the carton.

Thus, by the use of the novel divider pieces, a single workman withoutspecial tools or jigs, is able to easily assemble the packing celldivider unit within the carton preparatory to packing the particularunits being packed. All of the strips are inserted through the top ofthe carton and all strips, as successively assembled edgewise, are selfsupporting. The individual strips may be stored flat and tightly packedso that a saving of as much as fifty percent may be efiected in thestorage space required. Of course, the actual number and spacing of thelocking slits and the lengths of the strips depend upon the desired cellsize and the size and space of the carton for which the divider unit isintended. The invention may be modified in these and other respects aswill occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive of allmodifications as come within the scope of the appended claims iscontemplated.

I claim:.

1. Divider unit construction for shipping cartons comprising a pluralityeach of first, second, and third types of divider strips, each of saidstrips having a first set of transverse slits extending part waytherethrough from one of its longitudinal edges, each of saidsecond-type strips having a single, terminal slit extending oppositelyof its first set of slits and each of said third-type strips having atransverse slit in each end portion extending oppositely of its firstset of slits, one of said first-type strips serving as a first marginalmember of the unit with its slits disposed upwardly and others of saidfirst strips being inverted and serving as parallel, intermediatedividers, two of said second-type strips serving as successive secondand third marginal members of the unit with their first set of slits,opening upwardly, said second marginal member having its terminal slitinterlocked with an end slit of said first marginal member and saidthird marginal member having its terminal slit interlocked with anupwardly opening end slit of said second marginal member remote fromsaid first marginal member, one of said third-type strips forming afourth marginal member completing the periphery of the unit with itsfirst set of slits opening upwardly and its terminal slits interlocked,respectively, with upwardly-opening end slits of said first and thirdmarginal members remote from said second marginal member, others of saidthird-type strips forming intermediate, transverse dividers with theirfirst set of slits opening upwardly and interlocked with correspondingdownwardly-opening slits of said previously-mentioned parallelintermediate dividers and with their terminal slits interlocking withcorresponding upwardly opening slits in said first and third marginalmembers.

2. A generally rectangular, cell-type divider construction for packingcartons comprising a plurality of separate first, second and third typesof elongated, fiat divider strips each with a first set of spaced,transverse slits extending part way therethrough, each of saidsecond-type strips having a terminal slit opening oppositely of saidfirst set of slits and each of said third-type strips having a terminalslit at each end opening oppositely of its first set of slits, one ofsaid first-type strips forming a first marginal member disposed with itsslits opening upwardly and with an end slit interlocked with thedownwardly opening terminal slit of one of said second-type strips whichforms a second marginal member, said second marginal member having itsupwardly facing end slit of said first set of slits remote from saidfirst marginal member interlocked with the downwardly opening terminalslit of another of said second-type strips 'to form a third marginalmember, said third member having its upwardlyopening end slit of saidfirst set of slits remote from said second marginal member interlockedwith a downwardly-opening terminal slit in a third-type strip whichforms the fourth marginal member, the other terminal slit in said fourthmember interlocking with the end slit in said first marginal memberremote from said second marginal member, there being additionalthird-type strips parallel to said fourth marginal member with theirfirst set of slits presented upwardly and their terminal slitsinterlocking with corresponding upwardly opening slits in said first andthird marginal members and additional firsttype strips intersectingtherewith and with downwardly opening slits interlocking with theupwardly opening first set of slits of said last-mentioned third-typestrips and the upwardly opening slits of said second and fourth marginalmembers.

3. Cell-type divider construction for packing cartons consisting offirst, second and third types of elongated, flat strips individuallyinsertable into assembled relation within the carton through the topthereof, each of said strips having a first set of spaced transverseslits opening through one longitudinal edge thereof, said secondtypestrips each having a single terminal slitv and said third-type stripseach having a pair of terminal slits, said terminal slits extendingoppositely of said first slits, one of said first-type strips beingdisposed with its slits opening upwardly and one of said second-typestrips being similarly disposed and with its terminal slit interlockingwith an end slit of said first-type strip to form a marginal corner,another of said second-type strips having its terminal slit openingdownwardly and interlocking with one of said first set of slits of saidpreviously-mentioned second-type strips to form a second marginalcorner, one of said third-type strips having its terminal slits openingdownwardly and interlocked with one of said upwardly opening slits insaid last-mentioned first and second-type strips to form the third andfourth marginal corners, others of said third-type strips being disposedparallel to said last-mentioned third-type strip as intermediatedividers with their terminal slits opening downwardly and interlockingwith corresponding upwardly opening slits of last-mentioned first andsecond-type strips, and others of said first-type strips intersectingsaid intermediate dividers and having their slits opening downwardly andinterlocked with corresponding upwardlyopening slits in saidintermediate dividers and said firstmentioned second and third-typestrips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS682,646 Scheuer Sept. 17, 1901 1,494,922 Lange May 20, 1924 2,854,724Wuorio Oct. 7, 1958

